Books We've Been Reading....

Radical by David Platt.

When Peter & I were first married we wanted to pursue the "American Dream"--right down to the beautiful house with a white picket fence. But God had other plans--and we're glad we said "yes" to him at that time. Now David Platt comes along and forces me to examine my life again and face the question "Is there more that the Lord asks of me today? Will I still follow him out of my comfort zones?"

I read this book in late December--an easy read, but one which takes lots of processing. I've been led to reflect on the issues of financial security and personal safety for myself, my family members, and colleagues. As a result we've made changes in where our money goes and the advice we give to colleagues and friends. We realize we can't tell friends and family to stay away from unsafe places if they feel that's where God is calling them. Jesus never promised us we'd always be safe. But he did call us to radical obedience to his agenda. Don't read this book if you don't want some of your assumptions challenged. Ruthie.

Why Business Matters to God (And What Still Needs to be Fixed) by Jeff Van Duzer.

Ruthie and I have been working as missionaries "in business" for more than 10 years. And while I like, in theory, the effort to keep dynamic tension between seemingly conflicting demands and priorities--for instance, working hard to make a profit without making that our end goal OR trying to treat people with grace and love while the business demands we fire them OR trying to run a 'successful' business while being a 'successful' missionary.

But as I read this book I realized that one of the things we don't need--which can become an added stressor, is a certain fuzziness in our theology of work and business. Being in a BAM (business-as-mission) enterprise is hard enough. But having nagging doubts about whether God approves of our efforts to "bless" the communities around us by providing meaningful jobs and concrete economic and social benefits, is one of those "needless pains we bear".

Jeff Van Duzer, Dean of the School of Business and Economics at Seattle Pacific University, has done a wonderful job helping us sort through many of these questions by developing what I believe to be a solid theology of work and business. Rather than picking and choosing individual texts, leading to distortions--something which has been done repeatedly--he examines the big themes of the story of God's redemption--from Creation, to the Fall, to Redemption, and the final Consummation, to develop the themes of this theology. In so doing he challenges both the paradigms of business ("profit is king", "maximum return to shareholders") and the assumptions of mission & ministry ("business is not real ministry", "ministers should not get embroiled with money matters").

Reading this book was a liberating experience for me. I realized that God created me with an entrepreneurial spirit and values the work I and many, many others are doing in the world of "kingdom business". Working in BAM is not for everyone; but I wish all my friends and supporters would read this book. Peter.

Blogs from the Front Lines

Covenant missionaries are posting some incredible pictures and stories from the front lines Japan's tsunami-affected communities. Jim Peterson is writing and posting from communities he is visiting in the north while Andrea Johnson reflects on some of the beauties she sees around her in the midst of stress and difficult times. Check out these blogs and those of other Covenant personnel....

Jim Peterson's blog...

Andrea Johnson's blog...

When we're not HERE... we're THERE

As of April 3, 2011...

• At home in Chiang Khong (March 30-April 7). We have a visiting guest from the USA for part of this time.

Philippines & Guam (April 8-16). Visiting churches in the Philippines then the Sorenson family in Guam.

• At home in Chiang Khong (April 17-21). Renewing our visa to Thailand in this window.

Japan & East Asia (April 22-May 14). Visiting Japan personnel, attending the 60th anniversary of work in Japan. Then flying to Pingliang to help plan and organize for the future of Oasis Training Center.

• At home in Chiang Khong (May 15-22.) A few days home to catch up...
  

Mongolia (May 23-30). Visiting Sedore family and attending the annual meeting of the Joint Christian Services.

• At home in Chiang Khong (June 1 - 15). Time to catch up on writing...
  

USA (June 15-July 31). Annual meeting in Denver. Peter will visit churches. We will stay with our daughter, Erin, in Colorado Springs during this time. Contact info: 571 2283539 (Peter's cell); 571 2283538 (Ruthie's cell).

Listening

I sat on the porch with our L. daughter. It had been a good eight months since I'd last seen her but we slid easily in conversation. I heard about the struggles of being the main financial support for a broad and extended family. In a culture where you don't say no to family, what do you do when you have older nieces and nephews staying with you to complete their high school and the promised support for a food allowance and electricity just doesn't come? So we talked about some creative ideas to generate extra income. I heard about the translation work she and her husband are working on. A bit bogged down, she said.

After spending the afternoon with my L. daughter I went to dinner with a young couple who were responsible for the bakery and cafe where I volunteered last summer. Again it was great to sit and hear how things were progressing It was good to catch up on a team I'd been involved with for a short time and hear about their growth in leadership. It was fun to hear about future dreams and to encourage them not to give up on those dreams in the face of some large obstacles.

Next I moved to the south of L. and stayed for a week. My primary purpose was to help set up a new accounting package for a struggling agricultural company. This too required listening: "What information do you want a report to give you?" I asked. "Will the program give you that information?" In the midst of the discussion I went to their pig and fish farm to see their operations. There I spent my time listening to how things were going, how tasks were being done. I was able to share some ideas for some small changes to be made so that productivity in the fish department might be increased.

Listening. How often do we forget to do this because we are so intent on providing solutions? How often is the solution right at hand within the grasp of those to whom we are talking? Far too often we fail to take the time to listen well. Sometimes just allowing a friend to voice needs, successes, and challenges is enough to realize a solution right at hand.

Tsunamis & Amazing Movements in the South

Remember the tsunami? No, not the one which just devastated Japan, but the one just over 5 years ago (Dec. 26, 2004) which swept into Sumatra, Thailand, and other Indian Ocean countries?

As we contemplate the destruction in Japan, as we marvel at the sheer force and power of earthquakes and water to alter the landscape of countless lives, it is hard not to question why God allows such things to happen. But as Ruthie and I have dealt with personal tragedy and asked the questions, "Why, why, why?", we've not always gotten the answers. But, we've come to peace by settling on this question instead: "What for?" What does God want to accomplish in us and in his Kingdom as we respond and grieve and grow?

For us, this is the important question for Japan right now, a question I know is much on the minds of our friends there. I believe that as God's people in Japan and elsewhere respond in love and care and hard work, amazing things are going to happen.

I saw this reality in the south of Thailand in January. I had an opportunity to travel with Curt Peterson and Kyle & Lyndsey Small, pastors and members of the World Mission Committee in the Covenant, as Jim Gustafson took us to visit the work of SDRF (Sustainable Development Research Foundation), the Thai organization of which he is a part.

Here's the story. Shortly after the tsunami hit, Jim and Nujon Singpila, the President of SDRF, felt God directing them to visit the communities in the south to see if there were some ways they could help with the recovery. SDRF, though the years, has gained much experience in fresh-water fisheries--spawning and raising tilapia fish as a way to generate income and liveihoods for communities in Northeast Thailand. Was there a way that this experience in fisheries could be used to help fishing communities in the south?

This was the question they felt God asking them. And they posed this question to the local fisheries department where they were visiting. "Yes, come and help us--you're welcome," is the answer they were given. "But don't just come for a short time and then leave. We want to know that you're committed to us long-term." So SDRF went into action buying fishing nets and material needed to re-build the livelihoods of fishing communities on the island of Koh Yaow, just across the bay from Thailand's famous Phuket resort.

Jim Gustafson showing some of the products MRI is working on as a source of income foor tsunami-affected communities.

Then, in a seemingly-unrelated development, two women, Toon and Srinuan, heard through a network of friends that Nujon was traveling in the south. They were suffering from HIV-Aids and knew many people in the same predicament. They virtually dared Nujon to care--and to pay a visit.

When Jim and Nujon did visit, they prayed for them and brainstormed about ways they could help. Toon and Srinuan came to faith. Nujon encouraged them to start attending meetings for government programs distributing anti retro-viral drugs, and through this they started to build relationships with many in this community. When Toon finally succumbed to the aids-related illnesses in her body, Srinuan took up the mantle of leadership and continued sharing her faith to the many people she was meeting.

Srinuan, the woman on the left, tells the story of how God has saved and changed her and her husband, and used them to reach out to many people in this extended network

One of those was a man whose health had wasted away, reducing him to nearly half his normal body weight. He had already made arrangements for his funeral and prepared the portrait that would sit in front of his casket. When the team prayed for him he took on new hope. He started gaining weight, his countenance changed. And within a few short weeks he was a totally different person! Eventually he married Srinuan!

As we sat and listened to these stories and heard of how God's grace has changed the lives of these leaders, I was amazed, again about the power of the gospel to transform us! Then, as we visited the Marine Research Institute on Koh Yaow island and saw some of the interesting projects SDRF hopes will be sources of income for fishing communities, I am thankful, again for the creative energy of God's faithful servants.

Curt Peterson and Jim Gustafson on the floating platforms of the Marine Research Institute, Koh Yaow

Here are a few things I took away from my visit to the South...

• We need to be opportunists for God! Jim and Nujon and SDRF saw a need and responded. They didn't sit around and debate the issues for weeks on end but got close to the situation, met the people, and came up with some practical plans that lay within the abilities they had as an organization.
• As they moved, God provided the resources. Many churches had a part, many people gave money and time.
• This effort was a true partnership of "outsiders" (Jim and Nujon)--and "insiders" (Toon & Srinuan and others in those communities).

A lot more could be said, but this is an on-going story. At present there are about 500 new believers; many of them have been baptized during several big gatherings. Many lives have been transformed through the power of the gospel. Amazing.

I'm just wondering what plans God has for the people of Japan!

AKBA 2011 -- Advancing Kingdom Business in Asia

Every year for more than 10 years a unique group of Jesus-followers have gathered for mutual encouragement. Many believe that it is not necessary to give up their culture in order to be a follower of Jesus. LIke the early church in Acts, they ask, "Is it necessary to become a Jew in order to be a follower of Christ?"

Or in today's terms, they ask, "Is it necessary to become culturally 'Christian' and give up one's identity as a Buddhist, a Muslim, a Shintoist? In many countries throughout Asia one's identity is closely tied to one of the major religions and to give that up often means cutting one's ties with family and community. The result, many would say, is that Christianity has made it "too difficult for the Gentiles who are turning to God," (Acts 15:19) and has distorted the meaning of the gospel.

At the same time, because of the often restrictive environments in their countries, many of these friends have started businesses and are working to bless their communities by carrying on productive work. So, out of these meetings has come a consultation about how to advance kingdom businesses--those where relationships and socially-responsible economic activity are as important as profit and money-making.

This year I was asked to help organize this part of the gathering. Since this has been the focus of our lives for more than 10 years now, I welcomed the opportunity. Through my contacts and those of friends, we invited a wide variety of business-owners and entrepreneurs to tell their stories.

It was an excellent time of sharing and story-telling. The mutual lessons we learned, the best-practices, the challenges of truly being a Christ-follower while conducting a business--all of these were a tremendous encouragement. As this movement of serving Christ while carrying on socially responsible businesses continues to grow and deepen over the coming years, we expect we will need many more times like this to help us sort out the issues and sharpen our perspectives.

Vitamin fortification: sapping my energy!

Let me tell you about our little saga with Thailand's FDA (Food and Drug Administration). Since we returned to Thailand on February 7 we have been working to get permission from the FDA to import a vitamin and mineral fortification for the contract we won recently from a major international organization. Four times the documents have been rejected, four times they've been sent by overnight courier from the vitamin company in Germany.

When it comes to this kind of thing, every jot and tittle is important, apparently. The latest issue, requiring a re-do and re-send: we were told the product specification for Potassium Chloride needed to have the words "Test for Sodium...Negative Test". "Sodium...Passes Test" was not good enough! That's Thai bureaucracy. Then, the company in Germany, too has not been cooperative. They refused to change the wording. So we ended up with "Sodium...Negative Test."

Praise God. This morning they finally accepted all the documents and are waiting "for the big man upstairs" to sign... How long will that take? Normally it's 35 days. But we're praying for 3! This may seem like a small thing, but our whole food mill is lying quiet and still, waiting for the day it can begin to make food! Wessel and the team interviewed employees and got totally geared up a month ago. Then Pffttt the wind went out of our sails. Why is this happening this way? I'll let you know when I find out from the Man upstairs.